Ask.com noticed some interesting behavior happening on its Q&A iPhone application. People were trying to have "conversations" in the comments area of the app, according to Ask's Jason Rupp. Much of that chat activity was focused on particular locations. But Ask's Q&A app wasn't intended to support full-blown conversations. Cut to several months later and, just in time for the SXSW conference, Ask is launching a new app focused on local conversations. It's called Ask Around. Location awareness on the phone immediately puts people into the middle of a local conversation. All commen [...]

Related Topics: Ask: General | Ask: Mobile | Ask: Other | Channel: Mobile

Ask.com was arguably the original Q&A engine. Now the site is seeking to introduce a new product, which leverages both its search assets and the community. We were approached but we've yet to formally speak to someone from IAC about the forthcoming launch. However, Silicon Alley Insider today exposes the PR email outlining the plan: On July 29th, Ask will announce a brand new product aimed at delivering the best answers to people’s questions through a unique hybrid approach (think: a little bit search, a little bit social) that is not available on the Web today. As you know, the se [...]

Related Topics: Ask: General | Ask: Other | Ask: Web Search | Channel: Search Marketing

If you're the number four search engine in a market that is looking like it's going to be about two (maybe three) players in the long run, what do you do? If you're Barry Diller and running the parent company of Ask, the search engine in question, you're potentially looking at selling, with Microsoft as a logical buyer. That's all speculation at this point, however. In the meantime, Ask is doing and trying a lot of things to keep users and redefine its role in this new, contracting or consolidating search landscape. Most recently it made a major push into shopping with "deals search." Anoth [...]

Related Topics: Ask: Business Issues | Ask: General | Ask: Other | Ask: Web Search | Channel: Search Marketing

As everyone knows, today is the 8th year anniversary of the terrible 9/11 attacks. Many people, companies and organizations are doing things to remember the day. A lot of people are asking why there is no logo from Google for today. The quick answer is that Google does not do Google Doodles (aka logos) for sad days like this, they typically only do these types of logos for happier occasions. But that does not mean Google is not doing anything. They have partnered up with several organizations and companies to bring together a web site named Make History at 911history.org. The site ha [...]

Related Topics: Ask: Other | Channel: Consumer | Google: APIs | Google: General | Google: Logos | Google: Maps & Local | Microsoft: Bing | Top News

In the on again off again debate about whether Ask remains serious about search, a new blog post suggests that Ask is making a bid to improve its search index and efficiency, having completed a move to a new datacenter: Our engineers were going to have to spend more time on improving efficiency, and less time on new feature development. So we've been in the planning stages for moving to new datacenter spaces since 2006, and we've executed the move of thousands of systems over the past several months . . . We're excited about our new infrastructure position because it supports new and [...]

Related Topics: Ask: Business Issues | Ask: General | Ask: Offices | Ask: Other | Channel: Search Marketing

If you take a look at the Ask.com home page, you might notice a glaring typo on the Cinco de Mayo theme. Ask has spelled 'De' as "Do.' However, if you click through, Ask.com does link the result to the correct spelling. Google is missing a logo completely, but Yahoo has a Flash logo up for the day. Here is the logo: Hat tip to Best of the Web on the Cinco De Mayo Ask.com piece. [...]

Related Topics: Ask: Other | Channel: Other

As I posted earlier this morning, here is a quick compilation of logos for Earth Day from the search industry. Google: Yahoo (Flash version): AOL: Ask.com: Cre8asite Forums: Search Engine Roundtable (our theme, it actually glows): Past Earth Day themes and logos from the search industry: Google, Ask.com & Yahoo! Earth Day Logos, 2007 Search Engine Commemorate Earth Day 2006, 2006 Ask Jeeves & Google Earth Day, 2005 Google Commemorates Earth Day, 2004 [...]

Related Topics: AOL: General | Ask: Other | Channel: Consumer | Google: Logos | SEM Industry: Community | Yahoo: Other

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the United States, and many of the search engines have special logos up for the day. Google has an artistic logo, with children drawing the face of Martin Luther King Jr. on a sidewalk. Ask.com illustrates their background with Martin Luther King Jr. speaking and pointing. Dogpile promotes a Food Drive with Martin Luther King Jr.'s picture in the background. Even the Search Engine Roundtable has a theme for the day. Yahoo does not have a logo on their home page, and neither does Live Search. Here are larger logos: Google: Ask.com: Dogpile [...]

Related Topics: Ask: Other | Channel: Consumer | Google: Logos

Search Engine Land is taking the Thanksgiving holiday off, and best wishes to all those celebrating today. We'll be back with regular coverage tomorrow. Search engines are celebrating with special logos like those above. See the full-sized versions (including Yahoo's animated one) and more special search logos in Search Engine Roundtable's regular roundup, Thanksgiving 2007 from Google, Yahoo, Ask.com, Dogpile, & The Search Industry. Also see our post from yesterday, Flight Tracking, Airport Conditions, Real-Time Traffic, & Other Thanksgiving Search Tips, for those looking for Thanksgiving [...]

Related Topics: Ask: Other | Channel: Consumer | Google: Logos | Yahoo: Other

Google doesn't always do special logos for every holiday, but in the case of Halloween, it's pretty consistent. Up today on the Google home page is the ninth consecutive Halloween logo it has run since 1999. Below, a look back at the past years, as well as this year's animated logo from Yahoo and a Halloween-themed home page from Ask.com. Google Halloween Logos 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 And 2007 in context of the entire page: Yahoo Halloween Logo 2008 Yahoo went for a fun animated logo, where two skeletons walking a skeleton dog are scare [...]

Related Topics: Ask: Other | Channel: Consumer | Google: Logos | Yahoo: Other

The iWon site has been relaunched with a new look and with the intention to give away more prizes. Barry Diller's IAC revamps iWon.com from BusinessWeek details most of the changes, which include more "games, more prizes and plans to add social networking functions." In addition, iWon will contain a search toolbar that links search traffic to Ask.com. This is significant, because with Ask.com trying to increase market share and not really succeeding, IAC is looking for other ways to increase share. Microsoft saw a large spike this year when it did giveaways, so IAC might be hoping for the [...]

Related Topics: Ask: Other | Ask: Promotions | Channel: Industry

Ask and Dell have joined forces on a green initiative. According to the release: Ask.com and Dell’s Data Center Solutions (DCS) team have worked closely together on an environmentally friendly plan that includes a combination of hardware and services to further Ask.com’s data center efficiencies. Specifically, the DCS team collaborated with Ask.com to provide a comprehensive computing architecture, including custom, energy efficient servers. Ask.com has measured the new servers to use 30 percent less power without a compromise in computing performance. Dell is manufacturing the new machin [...]

Related Topics: Ask: Other | Channel: Other

; I had lunch with Ask CEO Jim Lanzone last Thursday when he was here in the UK, and I've been itching to tell the news he gave me under embargo. Now it's up, with Jim himself sharing the announcement in video. Kevin Federline's Search With Kevin service is being acquired and merged with Ask, to create Ask Kevin. Federline's also set to head up the new company, with Jim stepping down due to "charisma" factors. Best of luck Jim -- welcome, Kevin! Video below: A Special Announcement from Ask.com on Vimeo [...]

Related Topics: Ask: Other | Channel: Consumer | Search & Society: April Fool's

Q&A With Ask.com's Gary Price from Search Engine Watch has an interview with one of the people I look up to most in this industry. As you may remember I came in to help fill a void at Search Engine Watch after Gary left to join Ask.com. Gary is now the director of online information resources at Ask.com and he continues to manage ResourceShelf and DocuTicker for the library community. Gary is commonly referred to as the man who replaced Jeeves the butler. Check out the interview. [...]

Related Topics: Ask: Other | Channel: Other

Ask.com sent us their top searches for 2006 by category. Categories include news, celebrity, health, entertainment, images, and sports. Top News Searches: 1. President Bush 2. War in Iraq 3. Bird Flu 4. Iran 5. Gas Prices 6. North Korea 7. Britney Spears 8. Israel / Palestine 9. Wall Street 10. World Cup Top Celebrity Searches: 1. Chris Brown 2. Britney Spears 3. Steve Irwin 4. Shakira 5. Jessica Simpson 6. Angelina Jolie 7. Paris Hilton 8. 50 Cent 9. Zac Efron 10. Taylor Hicks Top Health Searches: 1. Pregnancy 2. Bird Flu 3. Stem Cell Research 4. Diabetes 5. E. coli 6. Depression 7. AIDS [...]

Related Topics: Ask: Other | Channel: Strategy | Stats: Search Behavior